I was thinking this morning about a conversation I had a couple of weeks before Xmas 2012 with the main vocalist for my opera, Graham Bonnet. We had wrapped up Graham's vocal work for my "Fidei Defensor", and I was very happy talking to him, thrilled with his vocal performances... but please allow me to digress momentarily: Graham and I had some rough spots over the years we worked together, and things came to an angry head more than once. But I learned so much of value from him, very much like a rock 'n roll father to son, and I told him that. After his modest thanks, I thanked him profusely and...well, basically said goodbye. Graham wrote back minutes later: "That's far too final, I mean, I was hoping we can do more again soon."
Imagine how it felt when it really, finally hit me...to have heard something like that from a man whom I rate up there with Ronnie Dio and Rob Halford as my favorite Rock/Metal singers. And we're going to do more, I always have music for him, I love his voice and I love the way he sings my music.
I can tell anyone curious about Graham's current musical output: unlike many of his vocal contemporaries Graham has lost none of his original tone, and is still putting out high quality Classic Metal to this very day...and that's about as high praise as I can think of. Take it from an at least minimally accomplished musician and composer: there's no replacing Graham Bonnet.
